Youth
by hope.peace.love
Summary: Klaus is Happy with Camille and Hayley is happy with Elijah. They have their daughter back and all is right in their world except one thing. The people around Klaus and Hayley can see that they share something with each other, something unlike anything they share with anyone else and even if they don't know it themselves it threatens to shatter their perfect world.(short fic)
1. The Lovers That Went Wrong

_**AN: So this idea came to me last night and I thought it would be a good way to get outta of my writing funk. This will only be a short fic, probably only 3 chapters, 4 at the most. The first two chapters will focus on a specific POV/relationship, the last chapter will be a general pov. Hope you like it! Review please! I could really use to feedback to help me get out of my funk and get back into writing my other two main fics! as usual I hope you guys enjoy. **_

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><p><strong>Relationship: Klaus and CamiPOV: Cami**

By the time Cami entered the compound the party was already in full swing. She didn't really care about being late since she didn't really want to be there but Klaus wanted her their despite their argument earlier in the day. She had a heavy feeling in her heart after their argument, she was confused about everything from herself and her future to her relationship so what she needed at that moment was a stiff drink and a distraction, she had hoped that if she had to be at this party it would be a respite for her but before she could find either of those things she saw them together, making her already heavy heart get even heavier. She hid the shot to her heart that she was feeling and found herself a drink then walked up to Elijah who was standing in the shadows watching that same thing that she had just seen, Klaus with his arm around Hayley's waist and his fingers unknowingly interlocked with hers while smiling from ear to ear and dancing.

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><p>She wasn't the jealous type. That's what she told her self every time she got that ping in her heart when she saw them together, or witnessed first hand his dedication to her, or saw how they smiled around each other, how happy they were in each other's presence. Truthfully it really wasn't jealousy. That word implied that she was envious of their connection and she couldn't say that's what she was. She wasn't envious of it, she was just painfully aware of it. She didn't watch them wishing he was the same way with her, he was everything she wanted with her on the good days, but that couldn't make her blind to the difference. They probably didn't notice the difference themselves but there was a difference, a difference that was getting more and more obvious and thus making it more difficult for her to ignore.<p>

She loved Klaus. She never expected to and she didn't want to but she couldn't shake the draw to him, the desire to see that good in him shine through and when he showed it to her she felt that maybe she wasn't being a fool for someone who didn't love her back. That maybe loving him, despite the mountains of reasons why she shouldn't,was worth it. He was tender, he was doting, he was kind but it never felt truly authentic, it always felt fleeting and like eventually his true feelings and colors would show (and they usually did). He told her he loved her, that he had finally opened his heart up to someone really and truly for the first time in 1000 years, and it should have made her feel secure in his feelings for her, it should have made her believe it without a doubt because Klaus Mikaelson doesn't fall in love, he doesn't tell people he loves them so if he says it then surly he means it. Yet she never really felt like he was in love with her, there was always something missing in his actions that made it obvious to her that he didn't despite his insistence that he did.

She told her self that she didn't necessarily need him to love her. Klaus wasn't capable of love, is how she rationalized it. Of course he isn't in love with her, he can't love her because he doesn't know how, he's incapable of such a thing.. She remembered the first time he told her that he loved her. Her life had been in danger and he came to her rescue in a frenzy fearful that he would lose her. He brought her back to the compound and held her close and told her how he loved her and he can't loose her. The look in his eyes, the fear, it melted her and made her forget all about her anger towards him for being the reason she almost died in the first place. She told him that he didn't have to say that, that he didn't need to love her for her to stay here with him but he insisted that he did. He offered her words she didn't need to hear and once she heard them they haunted her, she couldn't shake them, she couldn't shake needing him to really mean it, to really show her that he meant it. She always told herself that she was okay with him not being in love with her, and in a way she was, she always told herself not to expect more than Klaus could give and it worked for a while, it really did but then she moved into the compound and witnessed him everyday with another woman and it shook the very foundation of her rationale.

The first time she got the ping in her heart, was when Klaus had been taken captive by a very powerful foe for days and finally returned home. She and Hayley had worked endlessly to find him but It was Elijah who was successful. She was worried sick, as was Hayley and when Elijah came through those doors holding up Klaus she felt relief wash over her. She started to go to him only Klaus let go of Elijah and immediately went to his daughter and Hayley. She didn't care at first, of course he wanted to see the most important person to him upon his return, but it was what he did after that made her question if there was more there. She watched him hold his daughter in his arms, flood her with kisses with tears in his eyes, then she watched Hayley get upset and angrily question why he would ever get himself into that kinda of situation knowing how much _they_ needed him. She saw guilt rush over Klaus and then he embraced her. She watched Hayley whisper are you okay with such tenderness and concern, while Klaus nodded his head yes and told her he was sorry for putting her and their daughter through such stress. It was like they were in their own little world and it was just them and their daughter. As if she and Elijah were no one, spectators to their lives. She felt like she was watching a husband return home to his panicked wife and child.

She remembered glancing over at Elijah as they both watched Klaus and Hayley reunite with each other. She was pretty emotionless at the sight but Elijah clearly looked uncomfortable with their display. She could tell by the way his demeanor stiffened and they way he turned away from them. He left the room completely soon after. When Klaus finally made his way to her he embraced her and sighed in relief, kissing her on her forehead before retreating upstairs to their bedroom. As she laid in bed with him she couldn't get the visual of him with Hayley out of her head, she wondered why it was standing out so much to her. She already knew how important to him Hayley was, she witnessed their unorthodox platonic relationship everyday but she saw something different that day. There was a desperation in Klaus when he embraced Hayley, like he had waited to do that since he had been taken. The relief she saw in Hayley's eyes and the hurt she felt by his actions was more than just concern for the father of her child's well being. There was an intimacy there and intimacy that went beyond just two people who care about each other and were raising a child together. They way Klaus hugged Hayley was more delicate than the way he hugged her, the earnesty in which he told Hayley he was sorry, the way he cared about how much the whole ordeal upset her. He showed a special kinda care for her, a different kind of care than the care he showed her and it caused a sinking feeling in her heart. Klaus was so different with her and his daughter, he was almost a different person sometimes and that fact had never been more apparent than in that moment

After that it was as if her eyes became a magnifying glass and every interaction became larger in scale. Every laugh, every look, every touch just seemed to be bigger in meaning, seemed to stick out to her like a sore thumb making her question the connection they shared. He smiled more around Hayley than he did around anyone except Hope. There was a comfort he had with Hayley that he didn't have with her. He always seemed more relaxed, less weighed down. The Klaus she saw always needed some sort of help, some sort of saving, that Klaus always seemed weighed down by something and it usually prevented him from giving her everything she needed. The Klaus she saw around Hayley rarely needed saving, no longer appeared to need any sort of fixing, he was light, less heavy with her. For a while the thoughts only persisted for a short time, quickly fleeing once she had him alone and she could see his crooked smile and run her fingers through his golden hair but eventually even that didn't make it disappear.

The connection Klaus shared with Hayley only continued to intensify the more she observed them. They were so in sync with each other at times, it seemed like they could complete each other's sentences and could read each other's minds. There was a certain level of control that Klaus gave up to Hayley that he didn't give up to anyone else, not even to her. It was akin to the control a man would give to his spouse. Not to mention that she could see how in awe of Hayley's power Klaus was. When she was in action Klaus looked at her as if she was a goddess, standing in awe as one of her worshippers. He championed Hayley in a way he never did for her, choosing instead to treat her as if she was fragile and in need of shielding from any and everything. He respected her that's for sure, probably more that he respected anyone but he didn't get that proud smile and glimmer in his eyes as if she was a wonder to behold like he did with Hayley.

Klaus also constantly sought refuge with Hayley. When they would argue, which was often, Klaus would often retreat from their room and stay gone all night. On the off chance she sought him out she either found him in his studio painting or with Hayley and their daughter. Even when they didn't argue she found that Klaus still sought comfort from Hayley a lot. Whenever some issue with his father or the wolves came up he put up a wall with her. Refusing to talk about it no matter how hard she pried. Instead he would leave their room to find solace elsewhere and usually that ended up being with Hayley. One night after one of Klaus's brush offs she went looking for him and found him in the dining room taking back drinks with Hayley venting about something concerning the wolves. He spoke so candidly with Hayley, not holding anything back no matter how unsavory and it made her wonder just how much of a mask Klaus wore around her. Hayley listened to his entire rant without a word and then offered him words of comfort and encouragement. She watched as Hayley carefully put her hand on top of Klaus's and looked him in the eye and reminded him of the time he told her they could get through anything together. She watched him smile at her and place his hand on top on hers, giving it a gentle caress with his thumb. Their eyes stayed locked on each other's and if she didn't know any better she would have thought they would kiss each other next but they didn't. They both just pulled away then quickly transitioned to talking about Hope. Watching their intimacy when they knew no one was watching took all the air out of her lungs. She was relieved that they didn't make a move on each other but he still feel a sense of betrayal in his actions with Hayley. She knew in her heart that Klaus would never cheat on her, especially not with Hayley, but what she saw brewing between them and what she witnessed was probably worst than that, there was an obvious emotional attachment there, one that would probably only get stronger and stronger as time went by and she didn't know how she could live with him having that kinda attachment to a woman that wasn't her.

A few nights later they argued and she questioned him about why he was shutting her out of his life in so many ways. When he gave her a shaky excuse she got even more frustrated and without thinking she blurted out how he doesn't shut Hayley out. She immediately regretted it because the last thing she wanted to seem was insecure -she wasn't, she was sure that Klaus wanted to be with her- and she hoped that he would ignore what she said but to her surprise he answered her. He told her that Hayley was different, that there were parts of him that he could share with Hayley that he couldn't share with her because she just wouldn't understand. When he saw the deflated look on her face he rushed to her and tried to assure her that it didn't make him value her any less, or that it meant that the support she gives him means nothing and can't compare, that it just meant that it was different but that didn't make it better for her, it actually made it worse because it just confirmed what she was thinking. _Things with Hayley were different_

She tried hard to ignore it but she couldn't, not when the fact was staring her in the face everyday at breakfast, and at dinner, and in their down town together. She knew he wanted to be with her, but she also knew he didn't love her, he wasn't capable of loving her and she kept telling herself that there was no way he could be in love with Hayley for the very same reason. It's what kept her from letting him go when she felt like she needed too on several occasions but deep down she knew that she couldn't keep that up forever, that the ceiling would collapse on her eventually and she would be devastated by the debris.

And that's exactly what happened to her.

That day she had walked into his study expecting to find him alone but found him with Hope instead. She smiled and sat on the couch and watched him dote on her, watched him smile and play with her. He was his happiest when he was with hope and the way he looked her made Cami smile. There was a hopefulness and glimmer behind his eyes when he saw Hope, she caused a smile to come on his face instantly, she made him laugh and she made him calm. She could tell by the way he looked at her that Klaus truly loved his daughter, with everything in him. shortly after Hayley came into the room and she saw Klaus light up as she entered. Hayley seemed like she had something important on her mind so she decided to just give them some privacy. Before she left however she turned back to look at them and that's when she saw it, that's when it clicked for her and she was no longer able to deny it. She saw the same look in Klaus's eyes when he looked at her that she had just seen when he looked at Hope. A look that said I love you. She had been deluding herself all this time into thinking that Klaus wasn't capable of love but the truth was he was capable of love and that's what she was seeing behind his eyes as he looked at Hayley the same way he looked at Hope. She realized in that moment that Klaus could love, he just didn't love her, he couldn't' love her, but not because he was incapable, but because he loved someone else….he was in love with Hayley. She retreated to their room confused and heartbroken trying to understand how she missed it for so long. When Klaus came to their room that night he made love to her and he held her but it didn't feel the same. She knew where his heart was and it wasn't' with her even if his body was with her. They weren't really together anymore in her mind, they were just two lovers now, two lovers who went wrong.


	2. Setting Fire To Our Insides For Fun

Elijah had Hayley in his arms gently swaying side to side at the party. Hayley gently laid her head on his shoulder letting the music and Elijah guide her movements. Elijah loved having her in his arms, especially tonight. He needed this to feel close to her again, something he has been struggling to feel a lot lately. He was whispering to Hayley how beautiful she looked tonight when Klaus interrupted their brief moment.

It was Klaus and Hayley's idea to have a celebration honoring a long held Werewolf tradition. As a sign of solidarity the other factions attended the celebration as well. He had waited a while to finally get her on the dance floor. She had been too preoccupied greeting their guests with Klaus to make her way to him right away so he took that time to get himself and drink and talk with Marcel and some of the other vampires in attendance. While there he would occasionally see Klaus and Hayley floating around the room together. His brother had always had a charisma that could win people over even if he didn't have the greatest leadership skills but he saw an extra spark in Klaus when he had Hayley at his side. She gave him a confidence as a leader that he had never been able to give Klaus himself. Hayley also seemed to stand so much taller when she was with Klaus. They were each good on their own, but even Elijah knew that together they could conquer the world if they wanted to. There was nothing that they couldn't handle together, and Elijah had recently come to realize that there was probably nothing they didn't want to face without each other.

When she had finally managed to tear herself away from Klaus he felt relieved, now maybe he could have the woman he loved all to himself, he was getting restless waiting for her. However he could never be so fortunate to ever have Hayley all to himself not even briefly. That's why when Klaus approached them and asked to borrow Hayley briefly without saying a word let he simply let her go and retreated from the area.

He grabbed another drink and stood off to the side of the room observing their guests, making sure no one looked like they were going to start trouble. As he scanned the room his eyes found them, hand in hand on the dance floor mid dance. He stared emotionless at Hayley smiling from ear to ear as she relaxed in Klaus's arms and interlocked her fingers with his. He didn't want to see their obvious affection for each other on full display but he also couldn't look away either, it wouldn't be the first time he tortured himself with something like this and he knew it wouldn't be the last either. He was so focused on them that he didn't even notice Camille approach him and stand at his side right away. He managed to tear his eyes away from Klaus and Hayley and looked at her from the side of his eyes. He could tell by her dejected demeanor that she was probably watching them thinking the same thing he was thinking. Still he didn't speak he just raised his drink glass up to his lips and took another much needed sip of his scotch.

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><p>This was inevitable. That's what he thought the first time he felt extremely out of place in their presence. This was always bound to happen is what he told himself, though that didn't make it easier for him to deal with it.<p>

When he first fell for Hayley things were of course awkward since she was carrying his brother's child but it was easier to keep their connection off his mind (despite the obvious reminder of what they share staring him in the face every time he saw her) when she and Klaus barely spoke to each other. They barely spent more than 5 minutes alone with each other during her pregnancy; they didn't talk about their daughter, or share beautiful moments that expectant parents usually shared with each other. They could sit in a room together and barely acknowledge each other's presence. Hayley barely even spoke of Klaus during that time and when she did it was usually with a not so pleasant undertone. Even on the rare occasions that she referred to him in relation to him being the father of her child she usually acted like she wanted nothing to do with him, like she didn't want him in her life at all.

Klaus spoke of her more fondly at times than she did but he also never gave the impression that he cared for her a whole lot, at least not outside of her carrying the most precious thing in the world to him. For him their relationship was out of sight out of mind. It made it easier to deal with his feelings for her and for him to kid himself into thinking that she could really be his, just his.

Even during those times deep down he knew that Hayley and Klaus deciding to stop ignoring their bond and actually forming a real and close relationship with each other was inevitable. Eventually they would get over their mutual aversion to each other and act like they wanted to be in each other's lives, eventually they would from something so strong with each other it would be almost impossible for him to transcend it. That still didn't make it less hurtful for him when that very thing eventually happened.

He supposes it was always in the works for them even before they even knew it and it would always leave him in an uncomfortable place where he's torn between wanting his brother and his niece and her mother to have the family he and his siblings never got to have and wanting to have this woman that he so dearly loved to be his and only his.

The first time it really hit him just how much they could one day mean to each other was very early on in his feelings for her. Some overzealous witches had made an attempt on Hayley and the baby's life. A cursed object meant to cause a miscarriage had afflicted Hayley. She lay on her bed burning hot with a fever trying not to panic and he sat at her side taking care of her. He would wipe her forehead with a cold towel to keep her temperature down and to remove her sweat. He even held her hand and tried as best as he could to let her know that she and the baby were going to be okay. Nothing he said or did seemed to help her of course, it's hard to calm down a woman in fear of her child's life, still he was happy he could be there for her. He cared so much about her well-being and what she and the child she carried meant to his family that he couldn't help but to be dedicated to her.

Even if he didn't have feelings for her at that time he probably still would have wanted to be at her side. Hayley on the other hand wanted something completely different. When she found herself really panicking the person she wanted at her side wasn't him, it was Klaus despite barely talking to him leading up to that moment. She lay in her bed on the verge of tears questioning him about where he was and why he wasn't there with her. She said that he should be there, he should be at her side trying to keep her calm and trying to make her feel better. He could see by the look in her eyes and the way her voice got so fragile that it was almost cracking that she really wanted him there that if she had to endure this she didn't want to endure it with anyone else besides the person who she had created this miracle with.

The hurt he could tell she was feeling made him suddenly too aware that she was right, where he was sitting wasn't where he belonged, it was where Klaus belonged; it was where he would always belong. He loved his brother and knew that Klaus was out trying to help Hayley in his own way so he pushed his unease out of his mind and tried to offer her words that would calm her and encourage her about Klaus. He told her that Klaus cares in his own way, and that he was doing everything he could to help her and make sure that the child would be fine. Hayley looked at him with skepticism, she didn't believe him even though he could tell she wanted to badly. He reassured her by telling her that she has given Klaus a gift that no woman in 1000 years has ever been able to give him, a gift no one else could have and ever will give him.

At the time he said that he never expected to see those words manifest themselves the way they eventually did but truth be told he knew he should have been prepared for it. Hayley had given Klaus something incredibly precious; they had given each other a gift that would bond them forever and it's a bond he would never understand, a bond that went past just the child they shared. They would grow to care for each other deeply and it would leave him on the outside looking in.

He supposes the first time it hit him, really hit him, that it was happening was when Hayley spiraled out of control after turning into a hybrid and being forced to give up her daughter. He wanted so badly to help her, to hold her in his arms and assure her that everything would be okay, that this mess could be fixed but she rejected him. When he looked at her in her daughter's nursery tearing it apart she was a mirror image of Klaus, it was almost as if he was looking right at him and that's when he knew that there was nothing he could do for her, that she needed someone but that someone wasn't him, it was Klaus. The realization that Klaus was the only one who could understand her on that sort of level, who could understand where her pain comes from and what was ahead of her made him harden his heart towards her. He pushed her away fearing that he would only inhibit her progress and her relationship with Klaus. He knew he would eventually do that the moment she walked into that cemetery as a hybrid, it would change everything and it did.

Eventually she found her way back to him and he thought that maybe they did have a chance with each other, maybe he could fit into her life and share something special with her that nothing else could compare to but his hopes were dashed every time he was left feeling like a spectator to their separate life together. Every time he had to dismiss himself so that they could talk, every time she had to make important decisions without him but with Klaus instead, every time they spent time together as a family while he sat back and watched, every time Hayley didn't need him to help her or didn't want him to help her with something because she had already taken care of it with Klaus.

The most painful moments for him were witnessing first hand their dedication to each other. Once Esther took him and Klaus was in danger with Mikael and Hayley had a choice to make. She chose to go after Klaus of course. He understood it and didn't resent her for it at all, after all Klaus was the father of her child and she loved her daughter too much to ever leave her fatherless when it was within her power to prevent it. Still he knew deep down that Klaus being Hope's father wasn't the only reason that she put Klaus before him, that even if on the off chance that was the reason this time, eventually her reasons for wanting to protect Klaus wouldn't be just out of obligation but out of a genuine and deep care for him and his well being.

That was proven when Klaus went missing and was taken captive by some witches. The person leading the charge to get him back wasn't him or Camille it was Hayley. She was adamant about finding him and vowed to go to any lengths to get him had tried to find him on her own to no avail and eventually he had tracked Klaus down and returned him to their home. When he arrived with Klaus partially draped across his shoulders and injured he saw Hayley pacing up and down the room with Hope attached to her hip. When she finally saw them enter the relief that washed over her could only be compared to the relief she felt when she got her daughter back. Klaus had let him go and went straight to Hayley and Hope, showering them both with affection, they were the only two people he really wanted to see even though Camille was standing right there. Klaus never even saw her really, just like to Hayley it was if he wasn't even in the room. It made him uncomfortable to see Hayley get angry with Klaus for being so stupid and putting his life in danger, she even told him that he was a jerk for doing this to _her_ knowing how much _they _needed him. He just stiffened at her words and that was probably the first time he knew that she had feelings for Klaus, feelings that went beyond their daughter. Hayley needed Klaus more than she needed anyone expect Hope and it was so obvious that Klaus needed Hayley even more than he needed him and the realization made him so uncomfortable he had to leave the room to maintain his composure.

That would be the first of many moments like that he witnessed. Hayley would constantly put Klaus before everyone in her life expect for her daughter. If Klaus needed her she went running, if Klaus was upset she was the one who comforted him, if Klaus wanted to let off some steam she was there to participate, she was Klaus's best friend. Eventually because of their close friendship, leading the wolves together, and parenting Hope together they spent almost all of their time with each other. Elijah would often look for her, wishing to see her after a long day only to find her with Klaus. She wasn't always with Klaus because she had to be, most of the time it was because she just wanted to be.

He noticed how much more relaxed she always seemed with Klaus. She always seemed to be a little more carefree, less fragile and needy, than she was with him. Even when Klaus upset her she never truly got angry with him or cut him off like she did with him and most of the time she would be right back to spending all of her time with him shortly after their arguments. He would try to not let her close relationship with Klaus bother him so that he didn't impulsively confront her about it but one day when she was angry at him and outright refused to speak to him for two days he had a rare moment where he let his emotions get the best of him. He told her that he didn't understand how she could easily cut him off whereas she can't even cut Klaus off for more than a few hours. She looked at him as if she had no idea what he as talking about but he didn't elaborate any further he just walked away from her. She stopped him and kissed him passionately and told him that she loved him but he could tell that she was trying to convince herself of that truth more than she was trying to convince him. She kissed him, not like she wanted him to feel the love she had for him, but like she desperately needed to feel it herself, as if she knew it was fleeting but didn't want to admit It to herself. He kissed her back and they moved past the argument, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Hayley wasn't just falling out of love with him, but she was falling in love with someone else, she was falling in love with Klaus.

Shortly after that he got the biggest blow to his already heavy heart.

Hayley had been upset that Klaus had pissed off the witches again. He could hear her yelling at Klaus from the other room, something about how his stupidity was putting them all at risk again. He could hear her bring up how she was a worried sick the last time he upset a witch and how she thought after the other night where they apparently promised to get through anything together and after they also promised that they wouldn't do things without consulting the other that he would stick to his word. She wasn't angry, she was hurt, and he could hear it in her voice. She tried to mask it with the anger but she couldn't fool him. She was hurt that Klaus was being careless again and it brought him back to that day he brought Klaus home and Hayley got angry at him for worrying her the way he did and mentioned how much they needed him. It was in that moment he realized how terrified of loosing Klaus Hayley was. Her hurt over something so simple made him realize just how dedicated to this life with him she was, how important Klaus being with her every step of the way was to her. The emotions he could hear her expressing to Klaus during their heated argument weren't emotions that came from a person who felt obligated to the father of her child, they were the emotions of someone who was in love with the father of their child, who was attached to their family and couldn't bear to loose him or it. After he heard Klaus get defensive and question Hayley about why she cares so much anyway he decided to leave the house. He had some vampire business to take care of anyway and he had no desire to hear Klaus and Hayley argue for another hour.

He stayed gone for hours giving them some time to work things out with each other and came back anxious to see Hayley. He had gone to their bedroom and couldn't find her so his next stop had been Hope's room only she wasn't there either. He went to Klaus's room prepared to ask his brother if he had seen her only to find the two of them entangled with each other on top of Klaus's bed. Hope was asleep in the middle of them and they were on top of the covers, indicating to Elijah that it was probably perfectly innocent but he knew deep down that it wasn't. Hayley had her back to Hope and Klaus but Klaus's arm was draped over her waist. Hayley looked so peaceful laying in bed with Klaus, she looked like she slept like this all the time, like this was where she belonged and when she shifted and instinctively interlocked her fingers with Klaus's he knew that it was where she belonged, it's where she really wanted to be. He knew at that moment that what they were doing was simply passing time, setting fire to their insides for fun while trying to hold on to something that could never be and he could no longer be in denial about it anymore even if Hayley was.

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><p><em><strong>AN: so hey you guys! sorry it took me so long to upload this, I had planned on doing it 2 week ago but after the fandom drama because of the haylijah sex I decided against it since this was gonna be the haylijah chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed what I did with it. I'm not one of those authors who are really hard up after reviews but I would REALLY love to hear what you guys think about this story and this chapter. I was really unsure about this idea and I hope I'm executing it in an interesting and entertaining way so even if it's just one quick sentence about it I would REALLY LOVE it if you guys left a review. Also I was originally gonna only make this three or four chapters and the final two chapters were gonna be from a general POV but I'm thinking about changing it up a little. I might make it five chapters, with the next two being from Klaus and Hayley's POV and then one final chapter. Let me know in the comments if that would be something you guys are interested in reading or if I should just stick to my original plan for this short story. Hope to hear from you guys :)<strong>_


	3. It Was A Flood That Wrecked This Home

**AN: Sorry the update took so long! Anyways this chapter is different from the previous two but you'll just have to read to see how :) Only two chapters left! Don't forget to review!**

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><p><strong>Klaus's POV<strong>

Klaus hadn't even noticed Cami watching him and Hayley on the dance floor. The only thing he could really pay attention to was Hayley wrapped up in his ams at the moment. They weren't in the middle of a romantic embrace and yet he still found himself completely captivated by her as they exchanged sly remarks to each other. They had a habit of making these types of moments. Moments where they almost seemed too close for comfort less awkward for themselves by bringing humor into the picture. Hayley usually insulted Klaus's parenting and Klaus usually insulted Hayley's leadership abilities and that's what they were doing as Cami and Elijah watched them laugh and smile in each other's arms from across the room.

"Killer party" Cami said suddenly alerting Elijah to her presence.

"It appears the guests are enjoying themselves" He answered stoically.

"Yeah the guests seem to be completely captivated by each other." she said sarcastically taking another sip of her drink never letting her eyes leave Klaus and Hayley on the dance floor.

"Is there something bothering you Camille, you don't sound like yourself" He asked her without turning to look at her.

"Can I ask you something?" She questioned him.

"I'm listening" Elijah responded finally breaking his gaze and looking at Cami from the corner of his eye."

"Do you think they know? Does it ever bother you?" She finally spoke up faintly.

Truth was he didn't know if they knew they were in love with each other. A part of him felt that they couldn't quite fathom the feelings they held for each other, that they had worked so hard to build a stable dynamic that their minds couldn't comprehend anything else even if their hearts felt it. Another part of him knew that somewhere within themselves they knew, they knew that the affection they had for each other went well beyond friendship and partnership even if they didn't feel lead to act on it.

"Does what bother me" He answered breaking away from his thoughts. He didn't want to talk about this, not now, not ever.

Cami could sense it, he knew just like she knew but he didn't want to admit it. She got the sense that it may have even bothered him more than it bothered her. She only asked because she just needed to know if she was being unreasonable in her beliefs about Klaus and Hayley's relationship and Elijah's lack of response gave her the confirmation that she was searching for. What she felt in her gut was right.

"You know what, never mind, just forget it." She covered. They both just returned their gaze back to their significant others and kept torturing themselves with the view of their public display of affection. After a few moments Elijah turned and left,retreating to the bar for another round of scotch.

Hayley was actually the one who ended up locking eyes with Camille on the farside of the room, not Klaus. She was mid laugh as Klaus twirled her and pulled her closely when she saw her staring at them with her drink to her lips. It suddenly made Hayley very conscious of her closeness with Klaus on the dance floor. Klaus on the other hand remained completely oblivious, still completely focused on Hayley. Camille gave her a smile but Hayley could still sense a weariness behind it.

She and Camille got along great, she was great to have around the compound and she made Klaus happy which made him much easier to deal with. If Klaus was happy then Hayley was happy. Not to mention Camille adored Hope. They had a pretty untraditional dynamic but Hayley looked at her as a friend, a real friend. Klaus had told her a little about some of his recent problems with Cami. He didn't open up a lot about his relationship but he did tell her that Cami questioned his closeness with her recently. It took Hayley a little off guard since she never took Cami for the insecure type, though if she was truthful Cami did have reason to feel insecure about the closeness of her and Klaus's relationship. With that in mind she pulled away from Klaus a little and looked around. They had been dancing for almost three straight songs now so maybe it was time for a break, that way Klaus could go spend time with the woman who made him happy and she could go find Elijah.

Klaus suggested that they at least finish out the song but she insisted that she had grown bored of dancing with someone as insufferable as him so he decided to put her out of her apparent misery. He quickly found Camille on the farside of the room and made his way to her, greeting her with a gentle kiss on her cheek. He could sense that Cami was not in a pleasant mood. "Something wrong love?" he asked her.

"No I'm fine." She replied dryly.

"I know you don't want to be here but-"

"Right I don't, but it's nice to know my presence here matters to you" She responded as unmoved as she could. She wasn't normally this shaken by her thoughts about after her non conversation with Elijah she was more and more sure that she wasn't going to be able to hold on to him much longer.

"It does, you just got here we have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves. If you really despise it that much you are more than welcome to leave" He replied with a slight attitude.

"I've been here for a little while now Klaus, and you're right, I am welcome to leave and that's what I'll do. I'm going to stay at my old apartment for the night." She replied

"Do whatever you please sweetheart I won't beg you to stay if that's what you're looking for." He said nonchalantly.

Cami faked a smile and leaned in to kiss him on the lips before walking away from him. Cami had been acting this way for a little while now and he was growing impatient with her not voicing what was really bothering her. He sighed and made his way to the bar where Marcel was in the process of ordering himself a bourbon.

"Make that two" Klaus interrupted.

"Well well look who finally managed to tear himself away from the dance floor." Marcel quipped. "I wonder if that has anything to do with why Cami just left the party."

"If you don't mind Marcel I would appreciate it if you kept your nose out of my personal affairs." Klaus replied coldly.

"Hey man I'm just saying, I know Cami so I know when something is on her mind, though who could blame her with the way you and Hayley walk around the place." He responded.

"I beg your pardon?" Klaus asked, finally turning to Marcel and taking a large gulp of his drink. Marcel put his glass down and turned to Klaus.

"Look I'm only going to say this because you know I care about Cami, I don't want to see her hurt."

"Go ahead Marcellus tell me of all your insightful thoughts about my personal relationships I can't wait to hear it." Klaus replied sarcastically.

"I may not know what's going on in your house Klaus but you and Hayley, what you guys have going on isn't normal. People talk, they've been talking tonight actually. Everyone's noticed how close you guys are and how into each other you seem even though you both are supposedly in relationships with other people. A lot of people think you two have something more going on."

"That is preposterous, Hayley is the mother of my child of course we're close there is nothing more to it, not that I have to justify my life to strangers."

"Come on Klaus, it's me you're talking to, I've know you for centuries, long enough to tell when you feel something for someone. I see the way you look at Hayley, the way you interact with her. You care about her a lot, a lot more than you've cared about any woman, including Cami and for Hayley It's obvious as well, she lights up around you Klaus."

Klaus remained quiet, he didn't really know what to say to refute Marcel's accusations. He wondered if people really saw him and Hayley like that and it bothered him that people were getting the wrong idea. No matter how close he felt to Hayley they didn't have feelings for each other. Hayley loved Elijah and would never love him.

"Nothing you said here has any foundation in truth Marcel, I care deeply for the mother of my Child but that's it. There is nothing going on between the two of us." He responded with a hint of defensiveness.

"Look Cami and I broke up a long time ago but you know I still care about her as a friend. I'm just trying to look out for her and for you Hayley." He said before stepping a little closer to Klaus to make sure he isn't overheard. "All I'm saying is if you have something going on with Hayley or if you feel something for her you should just tell Cami, don't hurt her by stringing her along with your heart isn't there, I've been there with her and Rebekah and I hurt her, I don't want her to go through that again. I'm sure she would understand I mean Hayley Is the mother of your child and with the kinda people you two are it was always bound to happen. I'm actually surprised you two have never hooked up again by now."

Klaus took a hard swallow of his bourbon and didn't respond. Marcel really did know him well.

He always told himself that he would keep a boundary between himself and Hayley, a permanent boundary. Ever since he realized her really cared about her, not just the child she carried he swore that he would would do everything within his power to make sure the relationship with her was stable so that meant he needed to embrace her as his family but he could never let himself cross into any other territory with her.

In a way he always knew it was going to be easier said than was more to Hayley than just being a mother. He was attracted to her, he had been extremely attracted to her since the first day he meet her. She had a fire and a spirit that just enamored him and it's not like that attraction ever disappeared even if he didn't embrace her role in his life initially. She had never seen a woman more beautiful than her when he walked into the nursery he had prepared for their child and saw her in the rocking chair, belly swollen with their precious gift. She was more exquisite in that state than she was completely naked which said a lot because Hayley was beyond exquisite naked. His physical attraction would always make it difficult for him to maintain his boundaries and sometimes it did, sometimes it made it very hard, harder than he would ever like to admit.

Luckily for him however Hayley made it easier with her feelings for his brother. Even if he ever found himself feeling anything for her the knowledge that she held his brother in such high regard, superior to him in almost every way, would always be enough to make him never see her in any other light beyond friendship and their child. In a way he was almost thankful for that, as weird as it sounds, because it saved him from having to deal with any sort of romantic development with Hayley, which is something he knew from the moment he found out she was pregnant he wouldn't be able to handle. Her feelings for his brother were his emotional security blanket.

And it worked initially. Throughout the end of her pregnancy and the months following their daughters birth they got closer but never too close. The boundaries never blurred with them and he was thankful for that. They connected the most during their time of grief and from there they developed a great relationship,one where they became family and genuine friends. Where they spent just enough time together but never too much, where they shared just enough with each other to feel truly connected but never letting the other into their head too much. They grew protective of each other, extremely protective and got to a place where they would do pretty much anything for each other.

After they got their daughter back they got even closer, it was a natural progression to their relationship really. Having her back meant they spent even more time around each other than they already did and saw another layer or each other they didn't see before, a more doting and affectionate layer. Hayley was an extremely doting mother, she dedicated herself completely to Hope, even making the decision to step back from the wolves for a while so that she could spend as much of her time tending to her as she could . He couldn't help the smile that would come across his face every time he saw her with Hope, rather it be feeding her, or tickling her, or patting her gently to put her to sleep. When he would see her with their daughter he would almost become completely transfixed on her, there was nothing else in the room except her and Hope.

The first time he even had a hint of how much she truly meant to him was probably when she died shortly after she had given birth. He remembers the moment so vividly,when they cut her throat while he was powerless to do anything about it. He had never imagined loosing her and didn't know how he would react if he ever did but when it happened he had found himself being more consumed by grief than he had ever imagined he would be. He couldn't do anything except cluth her dead body and think about all the time he wasted not valuing her like he should have. So when she came back to him he told himself that he would never undervalue her and he didn't. If anything he grew to value her a little bit too much, too much for his liking and when he first felt it happening he knew eventually he would cross his boundaries, his security blanket would fail and his care for her would snowball into something he wasn't prepared for.

And It did well sort of. It was just before Hope returned to them. He wasn't with Cami, at least not officially with her, she was a presence in his life but he hadn't completely committed to her. Hayley on the other hand was with Elijah, though they were on the outs with each other at the time. They were both alone, and upset. Hayley was feeling like she had no one because Hope was gone, Jackson had just died after he betrayed her, and she and Elijah were as dysfunctional as ever. He had been having conflicting emotions about how to handle his parent problem and he had come face to face with the only man who had ever been able to make him feel like the weakest creature on earth, Mikael. It was a trying time for both of them and they found themselves home,alone and experiencing some really intense and confusing emotions. Because of their friendship Hayley had sought him out. He found her in his room laying on his bed like she so often enjoyed doing around that time.

It started off as just talking, Hayley rambling about her life and how fed up she was with trying to make things happen for the wolves and how it was holding up getting her daughter back while he sat back and listened to her intently. Occasionally he would interject his own frustrations in the middle of her ranting. Going off about his complete inability to defeat Mikael despite all of his efforts. Then the rambling turned into a conversation more intimate, about some of his more locked away thoughts. Hayley always knew the right questions to ask to get him to open up and she did, she opened a floodgate that he just didn't have the will power to control that night.

Surprisingly enough he wasn't the one to make the first move, it was her. She had started to get emotional about not getting Hope back and when he saw her tears he comforted her. He was hesitant at first but he couldn't fight it since he hated to see her so upset, especially when he knew how intense her hurt was felt since he felt it as well. He hugged her, it was the first time he had ever hugged her and to his surprise she melted in his arms instead of pushing him away. She nuzzled her head into his chest and accepted his comfort and he gave it to her. They didn't even talk anymore he just held her and oddly enough it comforted him as well. The next thing he knew Hayley was finally lifting her head and pulling away so he thought their moment was done but then he felt her lips on his. Her kiss was timid and soft and it took him by complete surprise but he didn't stop her. Instead he returned her kiss, meeting her own timid kiss with one of his own and before he even had a moment to think about what they were doing he felt her arms wrap around his neck and both of their bodies lower onto the bed. He remembered the words stop going through his head when she wrapped her legs around him and took off his shirt but it's like it didn't even register to him. All rationality went completely out of the window once he had her in his gripes and no amount of thinking about Elijah, or Cami, or how this could ruin things between them and their relationships could stop him from crossing the line and there was no turning back once her got her completely naked.

They slept together. It was nothing like the first time they had been together. It was less wild but more passionate than before. The difference was obvious because he never even felt the urge to bite her the entire time, all he wanted to do was feel her, feel her skin and her comfort, and hear her faint breathless moans. The first time they were just two strangers caught up in a game, this time they were so much more connected, they were two people who knew exactly what the other needed and cared enough to give it to each other. They didn't make love to each other, he would never confuse what they did with love, but they both knew they weren't just having sex.

After it was over they both laid in bed and stared at the ceiling saying nothing to each other. He was trying to process what had just happened but he couldn't tell what was going through her head, deep regret was the only thing he thought she was thinking. After a few moments of awkward silence he finally said something to her. He told he was sorry and he should have never let that happen. She blamed herself for it all, though he didn't quite understand why, in his mind he was the one who crossed the line first, he never should have hugged her. Then oddly enough they both started laughing at each other, at their desperation and complete lack of cursed himself out loud for being pathetic which made Hayley laugh even more. Before Hayley left his room they agreed that it wasn't a mistake but it wasn't something that would be repeated. That it was what it was, a moment of comfort that no one had to know about, that had no bearing on their strictly platonic feelings for each other which meant that it didn't have to change anything. She kissed him on the cheek and left and they never repeated it again. They both moved on with their relationships, he finally mustered up the nerve to stop his back and forth romance/non romance with Cami and she eventually moved in with him. Hayley once again reconciled with Elijah and it was as if it had never happened to them.

But just because they never got physically intimate again didn't mean they didn't get emotionally intimate again. His biggest fear after he slept with her again was that he would want to do it again, that he would physically want to be with her even if he didn't have feelings for her but it was just the opposite. The sex almost made it easier for him to handle his attraction to her. When he thought about her beauty he was reminded of their encounter which automatically made the thoughts come to a halt. What he gradually saw happen instead was something he hadn't predicted, emotionally he became much more dependent on her. He realized it as it was happening, he would be a fool not to but it was just the natural progression of their relationship. They had gotten their child back shortly after and that really changed things for them. They gradually got more and more relaxed with each other and let some of their previous boundaries go and that in turn made him emotionally become more attached to her than he was before. Much more emotionally attached to her. Whenever he would have a argument with Cami he retreated to Hayley most of the time, seeking her out to laugh or just relax and be himself. When he felt low it was Hayley who could usually give him a pick me up. When he needed someone to let off steam with it was Hayley. He didn't even realize it was happening but she was becoming the person he spent most of his time with. His dependence on her had never been more obvious than when he was held captive by the witches. All he could think about was how he had to get back to his family. How Hope and Hayley needed him and that's that mattered. He had to get back to her, he couldn't leave her alone to raise their child they had to do it together. He couldn't fathom not being able to live his life with her and Hope and it made him fight against all the witches efforts even though he knew it was pointless. When he was finally reunited with them he felt so much guilt that he almost left them alone. All he wanted to do was be near them and assure them that he would never leave them. They were his family, even if he and Hayley weren't in love with each other she and Hope depended on him just like he depended on them. That's why it was okay. His staunch boundaries from before weren't needed because everything happening between then was obviously just the product of their close familial relationship and nothing more. Who needed boundaries when there was nothing to keep away.

Also his close relationship with Hayley didn't mean that he didn't get what he needed from Cami because he did, Cami was great. She made him smile, and laugh, and feel like a much better person than he really was sometimes. She was patient and doting and he liked that kind of attention. She was also a great listener and a passionate about things and she had a good heart. The fact that someone with as much humanity as her could see something remotely good in him, something actually worth loving made his heart swell with feelings and he felt like he loved her but that didn't negate the pull he felt to Hayley. Sometimes he would try to let Cami in the way he let Hayley in but it was almost impossible, he would start to talk to her but all he would think is she isn't Hayley so he would stop before he let himself get too far into the conversation. He would never consciously compare the two at least he thought he didn't.

That is until he argued with Cami one night and she blurted out how he didn't shut Hayley out of his life the way he did her. He hadn't realized what he was doing until then. In his mind he had just been spending time and building a functional relationship with the mother of his child like he was supposed but when she said it the first thing that came to his mind was _Hayley's different._ It was the first time he truly saw her as different, as someone that could give him somethings that Cami just couldn't and it almost made him feel guilty. Guilty because he could see by the deflated look on Cami's face when he said it that it was that difference that was weighing on her. He often applauded her for her lack of insecurity because it takes a strong woman to deal with the man that they love sharing a home and a close relationship with the woman who bore his child, but he had a feeling that one day it would get to her, that not ever perfect Cami would resist becoming even just a little insecure about it. He felt guilty because that's the last thing he wanted to do to her. He wasn't the perfect partner, he often wondered why she even stayed with him as terrible as he was sometimes but he cared about her deeply, he loved her, and he never wanted to hurt her or make her feel like she wasn't just as important in his life as everyone else. When he assured her that he loved her that night and that just because things were different with Hayley that didn't mean he didn't value her he knew it was almost pointless. What he truly needed to say was that she was more important to him that Hayley was but it's something he couldn't bring himself to tell her for some reason. He couldn't look into her eyes and tell her that she was the most important woman in his life and he had no idea why because she was the only woman that he loved, she was the person he came home to every night, the one he made love to, the one who made him happy. It was Cami not Hayley, but he still couldn't say it.

Cami was appeased enough with his response but things shifted between them after that night, he could sense her pull away from him but he didn't know why since his behavior wasn't any worse than it had been before, if anything he started acting better with her since he could sense that she was upset about something but it seemed to have the opposite effect on her. It made him angry because he didn't let love in but he did for her, and her pulling away was almost like spitting in the face of his love, especially since she of all people knew of how difficult it was for him to love. He was so confusing to himself sometimes because it angered him that Cami was pulling away from him but he never found himself wanting to confront her about it or convince her not to. Sometimes he wondered if he would even care if she left him but he had to care right? Don't you care when someone you love is on the verge of walking away from you? Why wouldn't he care…He loved her…

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><p><strong>AN:So I hope you guys were surprised by the little twist that Klaus and Hayley slept together one time early on in their friendship. I kinda had an idea that I wanted to include something like that but I didn't know exactly how I would do and and when one of you lovely reviewers (I believe that it was TD) mentioned adding the POV on someone from outside the main 4 and I decided go there using Marcel's POV. It was just something I thought would be interesting to play off of I hope you guys don't hate me since I know some of you were feeling bad for Elijah and Cami already (which I'm glad about because you should feel bad for them I'm not a heartless bitch it's tough seeing the person you love love someone else) anyways if you didn't like it you can tell me why, if you did you can tell me why as well. I'm pretty open to all opinions about my work. <strong>

**For those of you who read You'll Find me In the Shallows. As soon as this fic is complete (which should be within the next two weeks) that fic will be updated. I promise I won't keep you guys hanging much longer with that one. Letting Go is still on hold but I will return to that story soon too, I just want to get YFMITS back rolling again. I also have another fic that I'm writing, it's completely AU story and I'm four chapters in but I won't release that one until I get my other two stories back rolling again, that is unless you guys want me too. **


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